Chapter 21

Misia shouted, "I'll show you a grand spirit summoning!"

Someone called out to her.

"Ah, um—"

It was Rora. Somehow, Rora had moved closer to Misia.

"I, I think you should stop—"

Misia looked at Rora as if she were something dirty.

"Stay away from me, you!"

But Rora didn't flinch.

"I think it's dangerous! I can sense a disturbance in the spirit energy from this lake. Summoning such an unstable spirit—"

"Disturbance? I don't feel anything! Besides, just because it's unstable doesn't mean anything! Controlling a spirit is where a mage's skill shows!"

"But—"

At that moment, Misia's followers stepped in front of Rora.

"Stay away from Lady Misia!"

"You're in the way!"

Rora, making a sound of frustration, stepped back.

Rora... you tried your best...

I knew Misia through Rora. Misia had bumped into Rora in the hallway as she ran out of the classroom.

"Ouch...!"

Misia said to Rora, who winced, "Be careful! For you, from the cursed village, to touch me...! Ugh, how disgusting!"

Misia wiped her shoulder, which had touched Rora, with a handkerchief as if it were dirty.

As Misia walked away, I remembered how dejected Rora looked.

...What a horrible person.

As Rora's friend, I didn't think highly of Misia.

Knowing this exchange—

I wanted to praise Rora for her courage and kindness in worrying about Misia despite her feelings.

A teacher should have stopped this, but Hulin was absent, having gone to the investigation team.

Misia began to chant a spell.

With each word she spoke, the lake's surface gently rippled, and as the ripples multiplied, Misia cast her spell.

"Come forth, spirit of water! Call Spirit!"

The lake shook.

Immediately after, a column of water shot up about ten meters from the shore.

After the water column disappeared—

A woman stood there.

A horse stood on the lake's surface, and a beautiful woman sat sideways on it. She had long straight hair that reached her chest, a face as finely chiseled as a statue, and was dressed in a long dress. The woman was breathtakingly beautiful, but—

She was abnormal.

Because she, the horse, and the clothes were all made of water.

The woman stared intently at Misia.

"Did you summon me?"

"Yes! I, the water mage Misia, did!"

Misia laughed and placed her hand on her chest.

"Listen to me, spirit of water!"

"Tell me what you want."

The horse began to move slowly, as if on solid ground, across the lake's surface.

At that moment, I noticed something strange.

The vast amount of water that made up the water spirit was truly beautiful, but a black spot appeared on her cheek.

What is that...?

As the horse took each step, the black spots spread like cracks. The water spirit stopped walking at the water's edge.

"I will... listen..."

The water spirit's voice sounded pained.

Ignoring this, Misia spoke without a care.

"What about the pollution of this lake!? Explain the reason!"

"The darkness... the unpleasant things... you discard... they pollute us..."

"What do you mean by 'dark and unpleasant things'?"

The water spirit didn't answer immediately.

She shuddered in pain. The horse stomped its feet restlessly. The black spots on her body were now clearly visible to everyone.

"Isn't something wrong with her...?"

"Did the summoning fail?"

The students around them whispered. Misia glared at the speaker.

"What!? It can't have failed! The water is black, so it's natural for the spirit to be black!"

Then, turning back to the water spirit, she extended her right hand.

"Listen to me! Answer me! What do you mean by 'dark and unpleasant things'!?"

Misia increased her control over the water spirit.

The water spirit responded with a breath-like voice.

"Darkness..."

"Darkness? What do you mean!"

"Darkness... is—"

The water spirit bowed her head. After shaking several times, she raised her face. Her right eye was completely black.

"Dark... dark... dark... dark... dark..."

The water spirit's body shook violently.

The black spots spread rapidly.

"Ah!"

Misia's face twisted in fear as she stepped back.

"Something's wrong with her, right?"

"What is that!?"

The students watching screamed.

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